Imax waves 3-D wand over 'Potter'

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TORONTO -- Imax Corp. said Thursday that it will convert the last portion of its upcoming super-sized version of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" from 2-D into 3-D.

Toronto-based Imax explained it will use its proprietary 2-D to 3-D conversion technology to transform the last 20 minutes of the digitally remastered movie ahead of its July 13 day-and-date release.

"The last 20 minutes in Imax 3D will add a new element of excitement to the Harry Potter experience, making this a must-see for fans of all ages," Warner Bros. Pictures International distribution chief Veronika Kwan-Rubinek said in a statement.

Last year, Imax converted about 20 minutes of select sequences from another Warner Bros. release, "Superman Returns," from 2-D to 3-D. But that effort called for the Imax audience to receive a visual cue designated by director Bryan Singer to indicate when audiences should don or remove their Imax 3-D glasses.

Converting the final 20 minutes to 3-D for the "Harry Potter" release should remove any possible confusion for audiences over when they should put on their 3-D glasses.

Imax did big numbers screening super-sized versions of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" when that film bowed in November 2005.